Voter registration exercise: Supreme Court strikes out injunction by NDC, 4 other parties
The parties contended that the EC’s decision had the potential to deprive many eligible voters of their right to register to vote in public elections. They filed an injunction against the exercise till the substantive case was heard. But the Commission disregarded the injunction and went ahead with the exercise.
The Supreme Court has struck out the injunction application filed by NDC, four others against the Electoral Commission.
Five political parties made up of the NDC, the Convention People’s Party (CPP), All People’s Congress, Liberal Party of Ghana and the Great Consolidated Popular Party on September 7, sued the Electoral Commission at the Supreme Court over its decision to restrict voter registration centers to its district offices.
The parties contended that the EC’s decision had the potential to deprive many eligible voters of their right to register to vote in public elections. They filed an injunction against the exercise till the substantive case was heard. But the Commission disregarded the injunction and went ahead with the exercise.
When the case was called, both applicants and their counsel were absent in court.
Deputy Chairman in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Bossman Asare was however, present with thier lawyer, Justin Amenuvor.
Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo who presided over the 5-member panel, noted that the case couldn’t be set on an earlier date, because the Apex court doesn’t sit during August and September due to the legal vacation.
The court fixed October 17, 2023 to hear the suit against the Electoral Commission after the five political parties filed the suit on September 7, 2023.
“The Supreme Court doesn’t sit on vacation. There are no rules for SC to sit during the month of August and September. That is why the application was fixed for 17th of October, 2023. Discussions of fixing it for today should be premised on the SC not being able to sit during vacations except by a special fiat,” she explained to the court.
Lead counsel for the Electoral Commission, Justin Amenuvor told the court that after filing the injunction the parties hadn’t filed any statement of case.
“I believe that they are all satisfied with the exercise that went on. Till date there has not been any statement off case. Just a writ and application.”
Ruling on the case, the Apex court struck out the application by the five political parties.
The five-member panel consisted of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, Justice Baffoe Bonnie, Justice Mensa Bonsu, Justice Barbara Ackah-Yensu and Justice Ernest Gyawu.
Source: Laud Adu-Asare
